Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Under Cover of Darkness:
If the bombs didn’t get you…
Quick synopsis:
A look at various murders in London during World War II.
Fact for Non-History People:
There were at least two active serial killers in London during World War II.
Fact for History Nerds:
Between 1898 and 1939, England averaged between 250 to 300 murders a year.
My Take on Under Cover of Darkness:
Turns out the Nazis were just one of many people to be afraid of during the Blitz. Amy Helen Bell take a look at the murderous intentions of Londoners in her book Under the Cover of Darkness. Bell looks at numerous murders in London during World War II with a wide variety of reasons at their center.
Sure, you have your garden variety psychopathic serial killers (at least 2!), but the more interesting stories focus on events driven by the pressures of the war. Immigrant suicide pacts, out of control soldiers, and knife wielding gangsters make up just some of Bell’s murderous tapestry. Bell makes each chapter about two different crimes but, more importantly, she identifies the location or background of each crime to give a better understanding of wartime London. Bomb shelters and darkened streets are their own characters. I think this is a great book to give another viewpoint in which to understand World War II.
(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by the author and publisher.)
Verdict:
Eye-opening historical true crime. Buy it here!
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